Stentor (trumpet animal)
Stentor spp. · Aquatic life
Under the microscope · Photo: CC0
Also called Trumpet animalcule, Stentor coeruleus, Ciliate, Stentor polymorphus
How to identify Stentor (trumpet animal)
- One of the largest single celled organisms, up to about 1 to 2 mm stretched out
- Trumpet shaped with a ring of cilia around the wide end
- Attaches by its narrow end and can contract into a ball
- Blue, green or colorless depending on species
Similar species
Vorticella is much smaller and sits on a coiling stalk; Paramecium is slipper shaped and swims freely.
Profile
| Season | All year; most noticeable in summer. |
|---|---|
| Depth | Attached to plants and debris in shallow water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Cell division; can regrow from pieces |
| Habitat | Still, plant rich ponds, marshes and lake edges, attached to plants and debris. |
Why it matters in a lake
A harmless filter feeder that eats bacteria, algae and small protozoans. Green types carry live algae inside.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Chromista |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Ciliophora |
| Class | Heterotrichea |
| Order | Heterotrichida |
| Family | Stentoridae |
| Scientific name | Stentor spp. |
Vorticella (bell animal)
Difflugia (sand shell amoeba)
Arcella (dome shell amoeba)
Paramecium (slipper animal)
Daphnia (water flea)Need a hand?
Found it in your lake?
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